Door or closure fastener for retorts



mi 9, 1936. T. w. REID DOOR OR GLOSURE FASTENER FOR RETORTS Filed April l, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm Wk W v .Emme 9, E35. T. W. REID DOOR CLOSURE FASTENER FOR RETORTS Filed April l, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 9, 1936. T. W. REID l DOOR OR CLOSURE FASTENER FOR R`EII`O1:{'..`S

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 1, 1955 Zw l, if,

Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES DOOR OR CLOSURE FASTENER FOR RETORTS Thomas W. Reid, South Bellingham, Wash., as-

signor to Bellingham Iron Works, Ine., South Bellingham, Wash.

Application April 1, 1935, Serial No. 14,187

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in retorts and more especially to a novel door or closure fastener for such a structure.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide novel means for readily locking the door of large retorts and in which the locking means includes levers radially distributed about the door so as to force the edge of the door evenly against a packing ring arranged at one end of the retort.

Another object is to furnish simple inexpensive and practical means for readily holding a door in a steam tight manner against the door frame of a retort or the like.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of my retort provided with the improved closure fastening means.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same with the door in open position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of a detail illustrating a portion of the door closing means.

Referring to the drawings, 4 Ydesignates the shell or body of a retort preferably made of tubular sections of steel suitably welded together. One end of the shell is closed by a steel end plate 5 which is also welded to the shell.

In the bottom of the retort, I place a perforated steam admission pipe 6 having a control valve 'I arranged exteriorly of the retort. A similar perforated pipe 8 for the introduction of a Water spray is positioned at the top of the retort and has a control valve 9 located outside of the retort.

Air discharge valves I0 are mounted at the top of the shell and they may be simultaneously actuated through the instrumentality of a rod I I that is pivotally connected at I2 to all of the valves. A weight-loaded safety valve I3, a thermometer I4 and a pressure indicator I5 are all positioned at the top of the shell.

A closure or door I6 is provided at the front end of the retort and is preferably mounted on a hinge I1. The door is preferably provided with an annular edge I8 designed to engage an annular packing gasket I9 positioned in a circular channel 2l) that is secured to one end of the retort. For the purpose of pressing the edge of the door against the gasket, a shaft 2| is swiveled in a bearing 22 positioned at the central portion of the door. Within the retort a worm 23 is Xed to the shaft and exteriorly of the door a hand wheel 24 is xedly secured to the shaft, and a thrust bearing 25 is positioned between the bearing and the worm.

To permit lubrication of the shaft, the bearing may be provided with a recess 26 to receive grease or the like which may be introduced through a plug fitting 21. A series of arms 28 project inwardly from the door and they carry pintles 29 on which eye bolts 30 are pivotally mounted. These bolts pass loosely through the medial portions of radially disposed levers 33 which may be adjusted relatively to the bolts and then be secured in position by nuts 3| and 32.

The outer ends of the levers are designed to abut abutment surfaces, preferably formed by the inner end of the channel 20, and the inner ends of the levers are toothed for engagement with the teeth 34 of the worm 23. As the levers are pivotally mounted and swing in action, it will be observed that the toothed ends of the levers and the teeth of the worm are arcuately disposed. so that the teeth will remain in engagement during the swinging of the levers.

For the purpose of guiding the inner ends of the levers, a cage 35 may be secured to the central portion of the door and this cage will provide slots in which the inner ends of the levers slide.

If the retort is used for canning purposes, the cans can be placed on trays and the trays can be placed on trucks which are rolled into the retort on tracks 36 positioned at the bottom portion of the shell. The door I6 is then closed and the hand wheel 24 is rotated. This causes the levers 23 to move from the dotted line positions, shown in Fig. 3, into the full line positions of that figure, with the result that the outer end portions of the levers are brought into abutting relation with the inner end of the channel 2U, and, of course, the greater the movement of the inner ends of the levers away from the central portion of the door, the more tightly will the edge I8 bear against the gasket I9. When the door is closed the air release valves I0 are opened and then the steam valve 'I is opened. Consequently steam will be distributed in all directions for the purpose of cooking the contents of the cans, and as soon as the steam has forced all of the air out of the retort, the air valves are closed. As the steam continues to cook the contents of the cans, the indicators I 4 and I5 enable the operator to observe the cooking conditions, and in case the pressure is too high the safety valve I3 will automatically open.

When cooking has continued for the desired length of time, the steam is cut off by closing valve 'I and then the valves I0 are opened to reduce the steam pressure. Then the valve 9 can be opened to admit water which Will be sprayed through the pipe 8 for the purpose of cooling the cans. A valve 39 at the bottom of the retort is provided to release the water from the retort and when the cans have been cooled sufficiently, the valve 9 is closed. When the desired cooking has been effected, the door I5 is opened.

The forced removal of the air from the retort by means of the steam, at the beginning of the cooking operation, insures cooking without the cans being oxidized or tarnished.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus of the class described a receptacle having a door frame, a door cooperating with said frame, a worm positioned on the central portion of the door, a series of levers pivotally mounted on the door and having teeth at their inner ends engaging the worm, xed abutment surfaces associated with the door frame, abutment surfaces at Ythe outer ends of the levers engageable with the fixed abutment surfaces for holding the door in engagement with the frame, and means for rotating said worm.

2. In combination a door frame provided with fixed abutment surfaces, a door engageable with the frame, a rotatable worm'mounted on the door,

levers movably mounted on the door and provided at their inner ends with teeth engaging the worm whereby the levers are moved when the Worm is rotated, and kabutment surfaces at the outer ends of the levers engageable with said xed abutment surfaces of the frame for holding the door in engagement with the frame.

3. In combination, a door frame provided with a packing gasket and xed abutment surfaces, a door cooperating with said frame and having a portion engageable with said gasket, levers movably mounted `on the door and having outer ends engageable with said abutment surfaces, the inner ends of the levers being provided With teeth, and means mounted on the door and including a toothed member engaging the teeth of the levers for moving the outer ends of the levers into and out of engagement with said abutment surfaces.

4. In combination, a door frame provided with a packing gasket and fixed abutment surfaces, a door cooperating with said frame and having a portion engageable with said gasket, levers movably mounted on the door and having outer ends engageable with said abutment surfaces, the inner ends of the levers being provided with teeth, and means mounted on the door and including a toothed member engaging the teeth of the levers for moving the outer ends of the levers into and out of engagement with said abutment surfaces, the last mentioned means comprising a shaft swiveled in the central portion of the door and provided with a hand wheel.

5. In combination, a door frame provided with a packing gasket and fixed abutment surfaces, a door cooperating with said frame and having a. portion engageable with said gasket, levers movably mounted on the door and having outer ends engageable with said abutment surfaces, the inner ends of the levers being provided with teeth, and means mounted on the door and including a toothed member engaging the teeth of the levers for moving the outer ends of the levers into and out of engagement with said abutment surfaces, said toothed member consisting of a rotatable worm having teeth arcuately arranged.

6. In combination, a door frame provided with a packing gasket and having abutment surfaces cooperating therewith, a door cooperating with the frame and having an edge portion engageable with said gasket, levers positioned on the interior of the door, means pivotally connecting medial portions of the levers to the door, said levers being radially arranged relatively to the door and their outer ends being engageable with said abutment surfaces, and means for moving the inner ends of the levers toward and away from the central portion of the door, the last mentioned means comprising a rotatable wormk and teeth at the inner ends of the levers engageable with the worm.

'7. In combination, a door frame provided with a packing gasket and having abutment surfaces cooperating therewith, a door cooperating with the frame and having an edge portion engageable with said gasket, levers positioned on the interior of the door, means pivotally connecting medial portions of the levers to the door, said levers being radially arranged relatively to the door and their outer ends being engageable with said abutment surfaces, and means for moving the inner ends of the levers toward and away from the central portion of the door, the means pivotally connecting the levers to the door comprising bolts pivotally mounted on the door and passing through the levers, and nuts for adjustably holding the levers on the bolts.

8. A retort provided at one end with an annular gasket and a number of abutment surfaces, a door hingedly mounted on the retort and having an annular edge engageable with said gasket, a shaft rotatably mounted in the central portion of the door, a worm secured to the shaft and arranged within the door, means on the exterior of the shaft for rotating the worm, levers radially disposed in reference to the door and pivotally mounted on the inner side of the latter, the outer ends of the levers being engageable with said abutment surfaces for moving the door edge into tight engagement with the gasket, the inner ends of the levers being provided with teeth and engaging the worm and actuated by the latter.

THOMAS W. REID. 

